A prominent Chinese forensic scientist has cast doubt on the official version of the death of British businessman Neil Heywood, which triggered a huge political scandal in China.

Wang Xuemei told the BBC there was little evidence Mr Heywood died from cyanide poisoning.

Ms. Wang is among the highest-profile figures in China to publicly doubt the government's official narrative of events surrounding Mr. Heywood's death.

Her comments, coming at a particularly sensitive moment in Chinese politics, is striking given Ms. Wang's at times celebrated role as a rare female forensic expert to serve the chief prosecutor's office.

A 2010 profile in the state-run China Daily newspaper described her as "respected, elegant, [and] daring." The article described her autopsy work as crucial to tracking down and punishing criminals.
Mr Heywood was found dead in a hotel room in November 2011.

Last month the wife of a prominent Chinese politician was found guilty of murdering him by poisoning.

However, the account given in court of how Gu Kailai killed Mr Heywood does not tally with cyanide poisoning, according to Ms Wang, who works for China's top prosecutor's office.

Cyanide poisoning would have caused lightning-fast asphyxia, spasms and a heart attack and turned his skin and blood bright red, which investigators would easily have spotted, she says.

A simple test for cyanide is also standard forensic practice in China, but none was presented in court, she adds.
Ms Wang says she believes Gu did have a motive to kill Mr Heywood and suggests that Gu used another poison to try and kill him.

No post-mortem examination was carried out on Mr Heywood's body, which was cremated

Democracy and Class Struggle says this trial of Bo Zilai will not stabilise the current political succession in China but will expose more contradictions in the bureaucrat capitalists ranks and inter Princeling rivalry.

However it will provide a window for a genuine communist movement to emerge has the new revisionist leadership will accelerate political, economic and social crisis in China.

China needs to overthrow the "Left" Bo Zilai's as well as other Princelings to get back on the road to socialism..